I have recently purchased the Model 8000 that was asked about way back in December. I paid $400 at Lowes with free assembly and a full gas bottle thrown in. I've had other grills, and I believe that the GO grills should be easily the longest lasting in their price range. Many so-called stainless steel grills use stainless cosmetically, which eliminates some repainting but does not contribute to structural survivability. The GOs are aluminum essentially everywhere (with the exception of the 4000 model, which uses some plastic). The entire body of the grill is guaranteed for 75 years. The burners are solid brass and guaranteed for 25 years. Most other parts are guaranteed for 5 years or more. All nut and bolt hardware is stainless. I've had expensive grills that rusted at the bottom of the legs where the casters or wheels attach. That's a pretty catastrophic failure. All the cosmetic stainless in the world won't deal with that. And the GOs simply can't have that problem, since they are aluminum all the way down to the casters. The casters appear to be bullet-proof themselves. So what are the limitations? Is this grill totally bullet-proof? I expect the paint will deteriorate -- of course many of you have repainted a grill, as I have. It's not that hard. A custom-fitted cover with zipper is available from GO and will prolong paint life. I expect that the grid that holds the ceramic briquettes just above the burners will be the first component to fail. Replacements are $12.95 plus shipping from the manufacturer. This raises an important question: If this grill is largely bulletproof and replacement parts will be affordable, what if the manufacturer doesn't survive? I've done some research on Great Outdoors, and here's what I've found: They incorporated in 1997. Their first products rolled off the line in 1999. Since then, they've tripled their production and sales every year. They are now retailing through giants such as Lowe's and Wal-Mart. Of course, this doesn't guarantee that they'll be around forever. They certainly won't sustain that growth rate indefinitely, and when they level off, they'll have to make serious adjustments to stay profitable. I'm betting they're here for the long haul, but I'm hedging my bet by buying a few spare parts and putting them away. (My guess is that five years from now GO be bought by one of the big boys like Weber or Char Broil. All the principles will walk away as 10-million aires.) I forgot to mention that the grill seems to be of first-class construction. Everything works well and has a feel of quality. So far I've had no problems with flame-up, but I haven't been cooking super-fatty meat. The only shortcoming from my perspective is lack of any temperature sensor. At GO's suggestion, I bought a Grill Care thermometer from Wal-Mart. I had to drill a 7/8-inch hole in the top casting to install it. LoweÂs sells a hole-saw type bit (a cylinder with bi-metal teeth around the bottom) for $12.95 that has a half-inch shank to fit your half-inch drill's chuck. It's a cinch to drill the hole if you have those tools. The thermometer was about $14 and is a high-quality item worthy of the grill. Drilling the hole does not void the warranty. One impressive thing about Great Outdoors is their customer service. Send them an e-mail, and you get a prompt and courteous response. They seem to have their act together in that vein. Is this the perfect grill, thermometer aside? No, I think the perfect grill is all stainless -- it doesn't rust, and it doesn't need paint. But such items are extremely expensive. I sent GO an e-mail saying that I wished they'd take the all aluminum design and supplement it with stainless to eliminate painting -- a bullet-proof grill at a more affordable price than end-to-end stainless. The manager, Linn Anne Rowe, said they were looking at a design like that. We'll see. Meanwhile, you can have your Webers and similar-quality, simlarly priced grills. I believe the Great Outdoors grills are best in class -- hands down. Tim Naff

When the delivery guys think you're crazy for instsitng on boiling a little water in a tea kettle to test each burner because "trust us, just turn it on and it will get red and hot"... ...then they look at you in awe like you're a magician when you casually put your hand on the unused part of the hub the kettle is whistling on. And they stare in amazement at their own hand after touching the cool part of the burner in use. Wish I had it on tape! Granted induction is rare in my area, but you would have thought I showed them how to time travel or something.

I look at kitchen equipment/bowls/pots/pans etc like I do clothes: I wear only some of my clothes all the time, but when I need a particular piece, nothing else will do, so I must have it! i.e., if it's a black tie party/wedding, my black leggings/cashmere turtleneck and boots are not going to do it for me! The same is true in my kitchen. I make an angel food cake 3-4 times a year, but no other pan will do - don't like angle food cake made in a loaf pan. I don't use but one of my mixing bowls very often, but when I need them (such as when I'm baking that angle food cake and must sift flour/sugar multiple times), having several is very useful. I don't use my cake pans very often, but there is really no substitute - same with pie pans. I use my big Le Creuset a lot in the winter, but never the rest of the year. I don't bake all that often, or whip cream, but I'm mighty glad to have my KA stand mixer. I haven't made a cheese cake in years, but may someday and a springform pan is essential. If I were starting over would I go out and buy all these things? Perhaps not, but something tells me I'd be placing a quick Amazon Prime order for things all the time if I didn't! One thing I have multiples of in my kitchen is a small mixing bowl (have it on both sides of the kitchen, a liquid measuring cup (one by the sink, one near the stove), kitchen scissors - I actually have 3 pair on 3 different walls!), and my beloved spreaders are on two walls.

What about counter height bistro table with wood trunks as base, and Pier 1's tempered glass as the top, etc.... 2 wood stools and oval glass? or plywood top, and use your leftover panel fabric as tablecloth...! Leslie Hayes Interiors posted: "you will need the 3 for 36" glass? //Archilla wrote: Joining glass top to stools - Does this have rubber or suction points to keep the glass from moving on top? with kids I'm afraid they'll slide the glass top right off. https://www.houzz.com/photos/leslie-hayes-interiors-contemporary-patio-phvw-vp~815251